Dutch green takes courage from Trump

The Donald Trump effect is spreading. Only a day after the US president blocked Broadcom’s proposed $117 billion acquisition of Qualcomm on “national security” grounds, the Dutch want to go down a similar route. Tom van der Lee, a Dutch opposition member of the Groenlinks, or Green Left party, is trying to argue that NXP Semiconductors, which is in the latter stages of being bought by Qualcomm in a $45 billion deal, should not be subject to a foreign takeover.

Mr Van der Lee said in a motion on Wednesday that he was inspired by Mr Trump, declaring: “The cabinet lacks a strategic vision on our high-tech industry. We are on the late side, I admit, but not too late to prevent the sale.” Protectionism…